Stress (biology)

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/stress-biology

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the HPA axis activation?The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis is central to the sustained stress response
2. What is the SAM system activation?The Sympatho-Adrenal Medullary system provides a rapid, short-term stress response
3. What is the body's 'uh oh!' button and how does it work?The brain's amygdala senses danger and tells the hypothalamus to start a chain of hormone releases. These hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, prepare the body for quick action.
4. Why does my heart beat faster when I feel scared?Stress hormones such as adrenaline make the heart pump faster to deliver more oxygen and energy to muscles. This helps you run or fight quickly.

HPA Axis: The neuroendocrine system regulating stress, involving the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands.
Catecholamines: Hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline that mediate the rapid 'fight or flight' response.
Glucocorticoids: Steroid hormones, such as cortisol, that are released from the adrenal cortex during stress.